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It’s time to break out those dancing shoes and those prime dance moves.
The eighth annual Father-Daughter Dance, will take place on from 6:30-9 p.m. Saturday, March 21, at the Perry Park Center.
Recreation Operations Supervisor Aarica Stephenson is implementing a few changes to make the event more enjoyable.
“We are looking to increase the value to those who are attending,” Stephenson said. “Last year we added a professional photographer so that families could take the photos with them as they leave. This year we have added two because there is so much demand.”
Other changes include the fact that the Park Center will close at 6 p.m. to accommodate the event and the bathrooms on the track will be considered “family bathrooms.” However, the biggest and most crucial change will be the registration deadline.
The event had 512 attendees last year and Stephenson noted that the number far exceeded anything that she could have expected, but she set a maximum of 450 attendees this year. The deadline to sign-up is March 8.
“I put a lot of band-aids on skinned knees last year and I thought it was too chaotic,” Stephenson said. “I loved that the event was so popular, but I think it hit that threshold where it was too crowded, and the event wasn’t as fun as it could have been.”
The cost to participate in the event is $8 for members of the Park Center and $10 for non members. Stephenson urges attendees to sign up as soon as possible because of the limited space.
The ice cream bar will be back with as many as 30 toppings, and attendees will still get to enjoy similar activities to years past, such as a photo booth, door prizes, flowers, and great, family-friendly tunes.
“Kids just love the ice cream sundae bar,” Stephenson said. “Last year, there was a little girl who saw the ice cream bar and her eyes got as wide as dinner plates. She said she had never seen so much ice cream in one place.”
There is no required dress code for the dance. Stephenson explained that the little girls should wear whatever makes them feel special, or Stephenson refers to it as their “Sunday best.”
“Usually you see things like prom dresses or anything that people usually wears at church,” Stephenson said.
The largest number in attendance for the event was 512 last year, and Stephenson anticipates that this year’s event will very likely sell out.
“I expect to hit the 450 number,” Stephenson said, “the deadline is in place because we don’t want people to show up on that night and we have to turn them away.”
While the event is advertised as a “father-daughter” event, Stephenson noted that grandpas, uncles, brothers, are welcome too. The event is geared toward children aged 3-14, but others also attend the dance, Stephenson believes it allows families to have face-to-face time.
“This event is all about that quality time that we don’t always get because of cellphones and tablets,” she said. “This event is about making memories and that’s what we hope to do.”
For more information contact Stephenson at 547-7275.
